


Stars Beyond Us

by Katt_Venus



Category: The Stars Above and Beyond
Genre: Apocalypse, Exploration, F/M, Fantasy, Futuristic, Supernatural Elements, scifi, space
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:02:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 17,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22173745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katt_Venus/pseuds/Katt_Venus
Summary: In the near future, the fate of the world lies in hands of the six deities. When the world all of a sudden comes an end, can one crew find the cause behind it all, and find a new utopia?
Relationships: Katherine Venus/Lukas Neptix





	1. The End of the World

**_There was one simple rule, and yet somehow it was broken. Don’t upset the deities or change the balance, no matter what. There were six of them, and each played a vital task. Ceros was the god of death and destruction, master of trickery and illusion. Hirasha was the goddess of light and life, known for her gentle nature and personality. Then there was Larissa, the calm natured goddess of fire and warmth. Seiko was the goddess who controlled the water and ice, the ocean and tides. Natio was responsible for all flora and fauna, the seasons and rain. Finally there was Aistria, the goddess known for keeping the earth and stars, the sun and moon._ **

**_The year was 30ZX, and Winter was nearly upon the solar system of Nzuvieon. It was quiet all around, the thirteen abandoned plantes floated aimlessly throughout space, without a purpose or reason. Each of the planets had met their own unique downfall, so different yet still connected._ **

**_Whatever survivors that were left ended up being forced to evacuate, and if they chose to stay on their planet, it’d be their funeral. All the planets were now uninhabitable, dangerous to anyone who dared to stay. The survivors left, taking whatever survived the destruction, packing it in their ecohabs and going their separate ways, in search of a new home._ **

**_Each planet was unique, for instance there was Servix, once known for its beautiful music and tunes. Lunaria was a paradise, known for their hot springs and warm environment, never a cold day around. Zaniyr had exorbitant wildlife, many new species popping up each and every day. Likios was known for their never ending night, the stars always twinkling, the moon shining down. Rheyia was known for the criminals that roamed the surface, and it was a paradise for all those who had committed evil acts. Halion was known for their farms, having every plant known to existence growing on its surface. Elyrio had endless oceans, most people spent their days partying on the beaches. Cheia was full of resources, helping provide these necessary resources to other planets. Milea was known for their diverse culture, a place where people from other planets all came to gather to live in harmony. Aeria was covered in rainforests, the greenery visible from space. There was Tario, known for their markets and exclusive handmade items, from baskets to clothing, and much more. Filai was one of the hottest planets, and only those daring enough lived there._ **

**_Finally there was a planet in the middle of it all, sitting next to the sun. It’s name was Galastar, and the damage to it was worse than the rest. This planet was the most important to all others, providing the most advanced technology and medicine. It was also known for its beautiful flowers, a paradise to those who lived there. Now it sat empty and abandoned, the planet split into two._ **

**_What happened to cause such destruction against this galaxy? Well that answer was unknown, but it is said upon the passing of one of Galastar’s leaders, the balance was thrown off. You see, each other planet had one leader to help lead the people, but Galastar had two, being the Nevixo and Neptix families. For generations these two families led the people, providing an example to the other planets. Tradition being the eldest child of the next generation were to rule, until they had children of their own to take their positions, once they were fit to rule. In order to keep balance, they’d continued this tradition, for fear that if they didn’t continue on the tradition, the life they knew would come to an end._ **

**_And yet...here we stand at the end of it all...or rather, the start to a new beginning_ **

\---------------------------------------------------

A man looked out the window, watching as Galastar got farther and farther away, chunks of the planet itself drifting off into deep space. His green eyes shined off the light, and he ran a hand through his dark brown hair. There was a knocking sound behind him and he turned to see a man walking into the room. “I was wondering where you were.”

“Hey Arthur.” He half smiled, looking back over out the window.

“Is something wrong Lukas?”

“Remind me again why you’re here?”

“Your grandmother thought it’d be best if you had someone advising you on what to do.”

“I miss her…”

Arthur put a hand on Luke’s shoulder, gently sighing. “I think we all miss her. By the way, did you meet the other captain yet?”

“The one from the Nevixo side? I don’t think I’ve ever met her actually.”

“I’m sure you’ll meet her eventually.”

“I heard some of the other colonies are already trying to find new planets to live on.”

“Any luck so far?”

“Nothing yet.”

“So...did you hear the rumor?” Arthur curiously asked.

“What rumor?”

He sighed, “Supposedly the people are spreading a rumor saying Charles killed your grandmother.”

“That’s not true.”

“Well it is spreading pretty fast. I suppose you should address that.”

“Must I?”

“Well it’s your job as Captain.”

“Can you gather some people in the town square then?”

Arthur nodded, a smile on his face. “Will do. Until then, I suggest you familiarize yourself with the crew.”

“Of course. Thanks a bunch Artie.”

He left and Luke looked back over to the window one more time. He took a deep breath and sighed, walking out of the room. He eventually made his way to the front of the ship, walking into a large room. There was a large window across the whole room, and a couple of interfaces laid out around the room. A man looked over at him as he walked in and smiled, making his way over.

“Ah it’s nice to meet you! My name is Adam Ritoa, I’m in charge of piloting this ship.” He said, holding out a hand.

Luke shook it and looked around, “Where’s the rest of the crew?”

“Ah they’re still settling in. I’m sure they’ll be around tomorrow if you want to meet all of them?”

“That’d be great, thanks. Have you met the other Captain yet?”

He seemed to recoil a bit and shook his head. “No, I haven’t.”

“I see.” Luke said, looking over at a large interface. He walked over, reading the screen. “So, do you have a plan in mind?”

“Well, I figured it’s best we get out of the system, in case something were to happen again, that way we’re at least safe. From what I mapped out, we’ve got a year to a year and a half before we’re completely out.”

Luke looked over the screen and Adam looked him over. “So, may I ask you something?”

“Of course. What about?”

“About the rumors…”

“This again… I’ll be chatting about it later, I’d suggest you come if you want to hear the full story. Until then, focus on your job.”

“Of course. I’ll be sure to stop by.”

There was a tap on Luke’s shoulder and he turned to face Arthur, who seemed exhausted. “I sent out the announcement. It’ll be in about two hours.”

“Not enough time to prepare, huh?”

“Well your grandmother did mention you like to take stuff as it comes, rather than plan.”

Adam smiled and introduced himself to Arthur, the two started a conversation. Luke eventually sighed and left the room, walking down the quiet hallway. He made his way to his office and stepped in, closing the door behind him. He looked around the room, a large window sat behind the desk, Galastar was still in sight. 

Luke sighed, sitting down in the chair and spinning around for a second. He then pulled out his tablet and tapped away for a while, time seemed to fly by. Eventually there was a tap at the door and Arthur peeked in, a smile on his face. “Running late?”

“I totally forgot, sorry.”

He got up and followed Arthur, the two eventually leaving the building and walking out into the town. The Lumasphere was dimming, starting to signal the sunset. Eventually the two made their way to where a group was standing, chatting amongst themselves. Luke made his way up the staircase, sitting on the railing at the top. He smiled as he spoke, and the crowd turned to look.

“It’s nice to meet you all. I’m Lukas Neptix, one of the captains. It’s come to my attention there’s been a rumor spreading around. Would anyone care to tell me what it’s about?”

After a few moments, a hand raised up and a voice began to speak. The man’s voice was burly and gruff as he spoke. “Is it true Christopher killed Rose?”

“Of course not. My grandmother died of natural causes.”

“What if they’re just covering it up?”

He sighed, “Chris was very close with my grandma, he’d never do anything to harm her.”

“He just killed her for power, that’s what truly happened!” A voice shouted from the back.

“And what proof do you have?”

The crowd was silent and Luke sighed once more, “Rose and Chris were the best of friends, and they’d do anything to keep the other safe.”

A small voice spoke up, “Can we change the tradition? We just want one Captain!”

“And risk another unbalance?”

“We don’t want the Nevixo family in power anymore, they can’t be trusted.”

“And you think they’re the cause behind the unbalance?”

The crowd nodded in unison and Luke pulled out his phone, tapping away. “From the data recorded, Chris was occupied at the time with family matters. Rose had been sick for weeks, and her death accidentally caused the unbalance.”

There was a mutter nearby as a voice huffed, “At least Chris got what he deserved.”

“Want to say that louder for everyone to hear?” Luke said, smiling at the person. 

“Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

“Let’s get this straight. The rumors that are spreading are false, none of the information is true. Keep believing whatever you want, but the lies will only hurt you in time, and then you’ll see your wrongs.”

The crowd was silent and Luke hopped off the railing, a smile on his face. “I hope you all have a wonderful day. If you have any more questions or concerns, I’d love to address them later, preferably once this rumor stops spreading.”

He walked away and Arthur ran up the stairs, following him. Luke looked over at him as he ran up, a worried expression on his face. “Why would you say something like that?”

“They can’t just be spreading around rumors so carelessly, and a false one at that.”

“I agree, but you could have been gentler about it.”

“Then they’d never listen. You can’t be kind all the time, or else people would walk over you and not listen to a word you say. Get your point through, no matter what. That’s what my grandmother taught me.”

Arthur sighed, looking at his watch. “I guess… I should get going, it’s pretty late.”

“Of course, have a good night.”

The two parted ways and Luke eventually made his way to his bedroom. He walked in, noticing boxes still strewn about, needing to be unpacked. He sighed as he closed the door behind him, picking up a box and plopping it down on the bed. 

He gently opened the box and pulled out the picture frame on top, smiling at the picture of him and his grandma. After a few moments, he propped it up on the nightstand and continued to unpack the rest of his stuff. 

Meanwhile a figure stood in the observatory on the top level of the ship, a balcony looked out at the town below There was a small glass bulb at the top of the ship, responsible for controlling the time of day and weather, also known as the Lumasphere. It slowly turned dark, signaling that it was now night time. The woman sighed as she plucked a flower off the vines on the balcony, looking it over for a moment. 

After a few moments she crushed it, then held out her hand. The wind took the petals away, sending them scattering throughout the ship. The night was silent but the tension was uneasy on the ship, the uncertainty of the future lingered in the air. Galatar continued to grow smaller by the minute, and thus marked the start of a new journey...and hopefully new beginnings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Current Ages**  
>  Katherine and Lukas: 23  
> Michael: 22  
> Zara: 4 (just turned it recently)  
> Ava: No age  
> Arthur: 38  
> Adam: 27


	2. Blue Raspberries

Luke rolled over in bed, his phone ringing loudly. He reached over and groaned as he picked it up, “Hello?”

Arthur’s voice sounded worried as he spoke, “Did you get the messages?”

“No?”

“There’s been an incident.”

“Define incident.”

He sighed, “After your little talk, a few people were upset and resorted to violence.”

“Was anyone hurt?”

“No, but a few crop fields and flower beds were destroyed.”

Luke sat up in bed, stretching his arms. “I’ll meet you at the flight cabin in a bit.”

“Of course, see you then.”

He hung up the phone and sighed, getting up from the bed. Luke quickly got ready, throwing on his coat and fixing the pin on the lapel. Eventually he made his way to the flight cabin, where Arthur was waiting for him. He yawned and Arthur smiled, “Tired?”

“I was unpacking the rest of my stuff. What time is it anyways?”

“About five in the morning. Shall we get going?”

He nodded and the two left, making their way down the hallway. Eventually they walked into a small office, Adam was standing off to the side. He nodded at Lukas and left the room quietly, closing the door behind him. Lukas sat down across from a middle aged man, looking him over. Two other men sat off to the side, both seemed nervous. 

“So might I ask what made you think it was a good idea to resort to violence.”

“We want the tradition to change.”

“And you think violence is going to solve it?”

“Well how else would you listen.”

Lukas looked in between the three. “You just have just asked to speak with me.”

“As if you’d listen.”

He sighed, taking a deep breath. “Well actually, I’m very open to hearing people out. However, I don’t care for violence.”

“I-”

“No, my turn to speak. What makes you think that violence would change my mind?”

“The people will revolt if she’s not removed.”

“And destroying a few crops beds is going to convince me?”

A harsh voice spoke from behind Lukas, and he noticed the men turned pale. “Those crop beds supply food. By ruining those, that limits our supply by a month, if not more.”

“But I-”

“Did I give you permission to speak? Now shut up and listen. I don’t care what the hell anyone says, but violence is not and will never be the answer. Understood?”

The three nodded in unison and Luke glanced back to see a woman standing there, her arms crossed. Her red eyes were glaring at the men, and she had blonde hair tied up in a loose bun. 

“Now about this rumor… You’re the one who started it, yes?”

“How did you know that?”

“I see everything that happens on this ship.”

The man fiddled with his fingers, looking away from her gaze. “Well we don’t really need two Captains.”

“The population of Galastar is double, if not triple that of other planets. Even after the destruction, it still is far more than the others. Two is needed to help control the population and keep idiots like you in line.”

“Hey!”

“In case you haven’t noted, nothing will be changing regarding the tradition. I am fit to command this ship, despite what you or your buddies might think.”

“But I-”

“Don’t forget, I’m the one who decides if you remain on the ship.”

She left before anyone could say anything, the door slamming shut behind her. Lukas looked over at the men, who seemed to be trembling in fear. “If you have any concerns, just come to me next time and we can talk. No more violence, understood?”

They nodded in unison once more and he stood up, stretching his legs. He gently smiled at the three, “Have a nice day.”

Lukas walked out of the room, Arthur following close behind. He sighed as they walked along the hallway, and Luke looked over at him. “Something wrong?”

“Nothing, just tired.”

“So that was her?”

“Katherine Nevixo. She’s only ever been seen in public once. Supposedly known for being harsh and emotionless.”

“Or she’s just stressed out.”

“You always have a positive look on things, don’t you?”

Lukas smiled, “Grandma taught me that when you look at the positive, there’s never a bad day.”

“She has good advice.”

“Yeah, she always knew what to say.”

The two arrived at Luke’s office and he sighed, “I suppose I should get to work.”

“Of course. If you need anything, just let me know.”

He left and Luke opened the door to his office. He noticed the woman from earlier sitting at his desk, flipping through a folder. “Ah, how did you get in here?”

“I’m a Captain, I can go wherever I want.”

“Well it’s nice to finally meet you. I’m-”

“I know who you are.”

Luke was confused, “Sorry, did I say something wrong?”

“Tell me, what do you think about these rumors?” She asked, her eyes meeting his. 

“Well they’re obviously not true. People are just making it up so they can blame someone for the unbalance.”

“And what you said about your grandmother and my father, was it true?”

He nodded, “Yeah, they were very close and all they wanted was to see Galastar flourish.”

“How curious. You’re the first person who doesn’t believe in the rumor.”

“So...why are you in my office again?”

“I do believe I already stated my reason.”

Before he could speak, their phones chimed in unison. They looked at them, a message from Adam asking for Luke to come to the flight cabin.

She stood up, stretching her arms. “Well you have fun with that.”

“Aren’t you coming?”

“Like they’d listen to me.”

Luke walked over and grabbed her wrist, pulling her along before she could protest. “Well they’re going to, whether they like it or not.”

He led her along the way, and they eventually arrived at the flight cabin. Luke walked in and Adam approached him, taking a few steps back upon seeing Katherine. “I do believe I only called for you?”

“Well that’s a shame because we’re a duo. Is something wrong?”

“Right well… We decided to try and take a shortcut to get out of the system faster, but we’re near Servix. Our systems picked up two life signals, so it’s possible there could still be people alive. What do you suggest?”

Luke looked over at Katt, a smile on his face. “Well, what do you think?”

“And you’re asking me because?”

“Well I think we need to make an agreement as Captains.”

“We stop by and check it out obviously.”

Adam looked over at Luke, “Are you sure?”

“You heard what she said, and I think it’s a good idea.”

“Yes but-”

“You take orders from both of us, not just me.” He smiled, “Is that understood?”

“Of course… It’ll take us about three days to get there.”

“Sounds fine by me.”

He looked over to find Katherine was gone, and then looked back over at Adam. “I should get going, got work to do.”

“Of course, have a good day.”

He left the room and found Katherine walking down the hallway. Luke ran up to catch up to her, and she looked over at him. “Lost?”

“No… I just wanted to get to know you better.”

“Why?”

“Well if we’re working together, don’t you think we should at least be friends?”

“There’s no need for friends, all we need to do is get along.”

He huffed, holding out a hand. “Here, I’ll start. My name is Lukas but you can call me Luke. I like raspberries and my favorite color is blue. Now it’s your turn.”

She shoved his hand away and walked a bit faster. Luke caught up to her once more, “So, not much for talking then?”

“Clearly not.”

“At least tell me something about yourself.”

“When hell freezes over.” She said, opening her office door, and slamming it behind her.

Luke sighed and ran a hand through his hair. There was tension in the air, and he returned back to his office, the day quickly passing by.


	3. Red Pineapples

Luke found himself in the flight cabin, tapping away at the map screen. He groaned, leaning his head on the monitor. Adam looked over from his chair, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just trying to figure out this route.”

“Regardless of how you make it, the trip will still take at least three days.”

“How big was the signal?”

He tapped away at his interface, looking it over. “There was one small one, which we think is an animal, and a large one which is probably a human.”

Lukas was quiet and Adam spoke, his voice quiet. “May I ask you something?”

“Depends on the question.”

“Do you trust that Nevixo?”

“Her name is Katherine. Secondly, why wouldn’t I?”

He was silent and Luke sighed. “No matter what rumor is spread around, I’ll still trust her.”

“But you don’t even know her! She barely talks, and when she does it’s rude and insensitive.”

“Did you ever consider that she might act that way because of what people say about her, and treat her?”

“No but-”

“No one trusts her, all because of one stupid rumor that isn’t even true. If it were me, I’d be a bit pissed off too.”

“And what if they’re true?”

Luke pulled his phone out, tapping away at the screen for a few moments. He then held it over towards Adam who took it, his eyes widening. “But these documents are only for captains.”

“And they’re made by the system, which never lies.”

“So her death was really of natural causes.”

“Is that enough proof for you?”

“Why not show this to the people?”

“They’re classified documents obviously.”

Adam was silent as he handed the phone back over, and Luke sighed. “Don’t judge people because of a rumor.”  
Luke turned back to the interface for a few moments, and then groaned once more. “There’s no good route to go about this.”

“Is there no faster way?”

“I don’t see any.”

He found his chair being pushed out of the way, and looked over to find Katherine leaning over the screen. She didn’t say a word as she tapped at the screen, and a few moments later she grabbed Luke’s chair, dragging him back over. “There, I fixed it.”

He looked it over, “That’ll do.”

Adam walked over, and was left speechless for a moment. “But that’s only a day… How did you-”

Katt interrupted him, leaning down in Luke’s ear. Her voice was cold as she whispered to him, “You and I need to talk.”

Without another word she stood up, and left the room. Adam looked over at Luke, “Ask her how she did that.”

“Did what?”

“She reduced a three day trip to only one!”

“I’ll try.” He smiled, standing up from the chair.

“Oh, going somewhere?”

“I’m going to walk around for a bit, stretch my legs.”

“Alright, see you in a bit.”

He left the flight cabin and eventually made his way to Katt’s office. As he stood in front of the door he took a deep breath, sighing to himself. Luke gently knocked and opened the door, she looked over from the desk, a laptop in front of her. 

“You wanted to talk?” He said, walking into the room and closing the door behind him.

She sighed, not bothering to look him in the eyes. “You can call me Katherine. I like pineapples and my favorite color is red.”

Luke smiled, taking a seat on the couch nearby. “Well it’s nice to meet you.”

She was silent and he spoke once more, “How did you figure out such a short route?”

“My dad taught me ways to navigate the system faster when I was younger.”

“I guess that will come in handy.”

“Do you even have a plan for we arrive in Servix?”

He shrugged, “No really, no. I prefer to wing it.”

“And that is what will get you killed. Lucky for you, the Nevixo family is all about planning. Do you even know what it’s like on Servix right now?”

“No?”

“It was overrun with hostile creatures, lava, and the people who stayed behind went insane, killing each other.”

He leaned back on the couch, “Let me guess, you have a plan?”

“Well I don’t intend on dying, unlike you.”

“Care to share?”

She pulled her phone off the desk and tossed it over to him. He read over the document for a few moments, and then looked up at her. “And you’re sure it will work?”

“It’s idiotproof.” She said, looking at him.

“Aww how sweet of you. Thanks for not letting us die.”

“What, suddenly worried about getting killed?”

“I guess, yeah. It’s now setting in that everyone on this ship is relying on me.”

She groaned, “Please tell me you’re not having an existential crisis.”

Luke stood up and paced around the room. “If either of us die, there might be another unbalance. We’re so vulnerable now, the ship could be destroyed if another unbalance were to occur.”

“You worry too much.”

“Everyone is counting on us to keep them safe.”

“You, not us.”

He looked over at her, confused. “What do you mean?”

“After this week, I’m stepping down from my position.”

“What, why?”

“It’s clear the people don’t like me, and the only way to make them happy is to remove my position.”

“Do you want to?”

She was quiet and Luke sighed, “I know it’s stressful but it’ll get better, I promise! They just need some more time and they’ll-”

“Get out.”

“What?”

“Just get out.”

He sighed, “Have a good night.”

Luke walked out, gently closing the door behind him. It had turned dark outside, and he made his way back to his room. He walked in, taking his jacket off and throwing it on the back of the chair. Luke plopped onto the bed, looking over at the picture on the nightstand. “I wish you were still here Gram. I could use some advice right about now.”

Eventually Luke decided to head off to sleep, quickly falling asleep. Katherine was on the balcony once more, she sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She looked out the window, the planet of Servix growing closer. The planet once known for its beautiful music, was now illuminated by the ooze of lava than ran along its surface. A new day was coming, with many surprises in store.


	4. Servix

There was a tapping at Luke’s door and he sat up in bed. He looked over to find Arthur standing in the doorframe, a tired look on his face. 

“Is something wrong Arthur?”

“Well we’ve arrived at Servix.”

“But it was going to take a day?”

“You slept a whole day.”

“Oh snap, really?”

He looked at him worried, “Yeah. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I was just up a bit late doing some work.”

Arthur nodded, “I’ll let you get ready then. Arthur and Katherine are waiting for you at the flight cabin.”

He left and Luke got ready, changing into a tee and shorts, throwing his jacket on over it. He fixed up his hair as he walked down the hallway, eventually making his way to the flight cabin. Adam looked over as he walked in, “She’s in a bad mood.”

“What?”

“According to her, you’re late. She’s already in the hangar.” 

He held out a paper and Luke took it, a smile on his face. “Thanks, got to go!”

Lukas ran to the hangar, and opened the door to find Katherine waiting. She had a sour look on her face as she looked over at him. “Someone’s late.”

“I overslept by a bit, it’s fine.”

“It’s twelve in the afternoon, and yet somehow I was still up at six in the morning.”

“I was up late!”

“Uh huh, sure. You know someone’s life could be in danger right now.”

“Sorry…” He said, looking around. “So which one are we taking?”

“Mine of course.”

“You have a ship?”

“So do you. Were you not aware?”

He shook his head and she sighed, “Of course you didn’t.”

She walked away and he followed her to a small white ship, seemingly different from the rest. Luke looked it over curiously, “This doesn’t look like the others.”

“Well my mother made it, so of course it’s different.”

“Wait, your mother made this?”

Katt ran her hand along the side, “Yeah, it’s all I have left of...anyone really.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s fine.” She said, gently pushing a small hidden panel in. There was a blue glow as she held her hand up to the plate, and a few seconds later a door opened, a ladder descending. She walked up, looking back at Luke. “You coming or not?”

“Yeah, of course.”

He stepped up into the ship, the door gently sliding closed behind them. Lukas looked around, noticing how it was a bit bigger than it seemed on the outside. “It’s really lovely.”

She didn’t say a thing as she took a seat, turning on a panel. Luke took a seat on the couch in the back, looking around the ship once more. An unfamiliar voice spoke, and a woman appeared in front of Luke. He fell out of his seat as the woman spoke, “Katherine, do you intend for this man to be on the ship?”

“Tell her your name, and who you are.” Katt said, glancing over. 

“My name is Lukas Neptix, I’m the captain alongside Katherine.”

“Understood. Lukas Neptix has been registered, and life signs are now being tracked.”

“Introduce yourself.” Katherine said, looking over at the woman. 

“Of course. My name is Ava, and I’m an AI that was created by Kylie Nevixo to assist Katherine. I also logged previous events before Katt’s birth, my program is about thirty years old. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“And to you as well?” Luke said, picking himself up and sitting back down.

The ship gently whirred to life and Ava appeared next to Katherine, a worried look on her face. “If you’d like, I can pilot.”

“I’m fine, thank you.”

“Well it’s been a while since you’ve driven and-”

“Ava I’m fine, relax.”

The ship began to hover and the door to the hangar opened, revealing a vast space outside. It was a quiet trip to Servix, and eventually they landed a bit away from the signal. Katt turned the ship off and Ava appeared, holding a small item. “Take this, just in case.”

Katt sighed and took a small silver ring from Ava, sliding it onto her right index finger. Luke stood up as he stretched his legs, looking over. “What’s that?”

“A weapon obviously. It’s better to be prepared, unless you’d rather die?”

“Is that a joke or…”

“I’m serious.”

“Oh…” He said, pulling out his phone. He looked at the map, a worried look on his face. “Since when did one of the signals disappear?”

“They don’t know, which is why we needed to get here as soon as possible.”

The two stepped off the ship, avoiding the cracks of lava that ran along the surface. Katt led the way, the phone beeping as they got closer to the signal. On the way there, Luke saw a body off to the side, a woman about the age of thirty or so. Luke stopped to look for a moment, and then ran up to catch back up with Katherine. Eventually they arrived at a small house, the doorknob was broken and the door ajar.

Katherine pushed the door open, and the two looked around the house. It was empty and barren, almost as if it had been ransacked. 

Luke sighed, “Looks like there’s nothing here?”

“So what, you’re just going to leave without looking around properly?”

He was silent and she sighed, “Even if it is an animal, we’re taking it back. Nothing deserves to die here.”

“You’re right… Where should we start?”

The two began to poke around the house, looking in each cabinet, door and drawer, but came up with nothing. Luke looked over at Katt, sighing. “Should we get going?”

“I guess but…”

“Something wrong?”

“Well it still says something is here but we checked everything.”

He shrugged and started to head for the front door, “Maybe it’s a glitch?”

“Maybe…” She said, starting to follow him. Suddenly Katherine stopped for a moment, standing in front of a door off the side of the kitchen. Luke looked over at her, stopping in the doorframe. “Find something?”

“Did you check this door?”

“I think so?”

Katherine sighed, “Think or know?”

He shrugged and she grabbed the handle, turning it and opening the door. There was a scuffle from inside the closet and Katt crouched down to the floor. Luke noticed her demeanor falling, a gentle smile on her face. Her voice was quiet as she spoke, “Hey darling…”

Quietly, he made his way over and peeked in, where a young girl was sitting in the back. She seemed to be around the age of three or four, and was tightly holding onto a small rabbit plush. There was fear in her eyes, and she didn’t say a single word.

Katherine sat down on the ground, “Are you here all alone?”

The girl nodded and Katt sighed, “Do you have a mommy or daddy?”

The little girl’s voice wavered as she spoke, scooting a bit closer to Katherine, “My mommy told me to hide in here...said there were bad guys and she’d come back for me.”

“How long ago did she leave?”

“I don’t know… Is she...”

Luke remembered the body from earlier and leaned over, quietly whispering in Katt’s ear. She sighed, “Hey, want to come with us?”

“Momma said to never trust strangers…”

“We want to help you.”

“She’s dead...isn’t she?” The girl said, starting to cry. 

Katt scooted forward and wrapped her in a hug, rubbing a hand along her back. “I’m sorry honey…”

“I want to stay.”

“I know, but it’s not safe here.”

The girl continued to cry and Katt motioned for Luke to come closer. He leaned forward, there was a hint of sadness in her voice as she spoke. “I think I saw a room upstairs that was hers. Go grab some stuff for her, toys and clothes, anything you think she’d need.”

He nodded and left, returning a few minutes later with an almost full bag. As Luke looked over at the two, he noticed the girl had cried herself to sleep in Katherine’s arms. Something seemed different about Katherine, and he gently set the bag down. “Is she okay?”

“She’s traumatized, so no. If only we had gotten here sooner...”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I know…” She sighed, running her hand through the girl’s hair. “Her name is Zara.”

“How did you find out?”

She motioned over towards a small journal, which Lukas picked up and flipped through. “This must be her mother’s…”

“Turns out her dad was involved in gang related activities and he passed away a few years ago. I guess some people didn’t get the memo and came back looking for him.”

“I see…”

Katt sighed, wrapping her arms around Zara. “We should get going.”

Luke picked up the bag and the two left, looking back at the house once more. They made their way back to the ship, and Ava appeared as they walked on. 

“Katherine, shall I register another user?”

“Lower your voice, and it can wait until later.”

“Understood. Is there anything you want me to do?”

“Pilot us back please.”

Luke sat in the driver’s chair, and Katt gently laid Zara on the couch. She sighed as she sat on the floor, Zara holding on to her hand. The ship gently hummed to life and took off, and Luke was the first to speak. “What are we going to do?”

“Well she’s running a fever, so we’ll take care of that first.”

“We?”

“What, scared of kids or something?”

He was quiet and she sighed, “Of course you are.”

“I didn’t have any siblings, and not a lot of friends so…”

She didn’t say anything and Luke leaned back in the chair, “Thank you.”

“For what exactly?”

“Well you were the one who charted out how to get to Servix in a day. If we hadn’t, who knows what would have happened.”

“I still don’t get why you’re thanking me?”

“Well if we arrived late, she might not have made it. I don’t think I could bear the idea of that…”

Before she could say anything, the ship touched down in the hangar. Zara rolled over gently, and Katt picked her up. Luke looked over, noticing Adam and Arthur were waiting for them. He sighed, looking over at Katherine. “What are we going to tell them?”

“Exactly what we saw.”

The door opened and the stairs descended, Luke was the first to exit, the bag on his shoulder. Katt gently stepped off, holding a still sleeping Zara in her arms. She looked over at Adam, “Start charting a course to each planet.”

“What?”

“There could still be survivors on each of them. We need to see how many people we can still save.”

Adam looked over at Luke, who was having a conversation with Arthur. He looked back over at Katherine and nodded, “Of course. I’ll get to work on it right away. May I ask what happened?”

Luke sighed, “Let’s grab a drink and I’ll explain it.”

Katt left the hangar and Arthur led the group, Luke and Adam at the back.

Luke nudged Adam, a smile on his face. “Good job by the way.”

“For what?”

“Taking a command from Katherine.”

“You were listening?”

“Of course I was. Now, how about some coffee?”


	5. Buttermilk Pancakes

As Luke left the hangar, he found Arthur waiting for him. “Is something the matter?”

“Yes. You need to go talk with some farmers and florists, to ensure there’s nothing wrong.”

“Must I really?”

“It’s required.”

He sighed and the two made their way around the ship. Eventually night fell and the Lumasphere turned dark, signaling the night shift. Luke sighed as he sat in the kitchen, a plate of banana pancakes in front of him. Arthur sat across from him, tapping away on the countertop where a large tablet was embedded. 

“So it seems like the only farms we need to keep an eye on are the fruit farms, since the temperature’s been getting colder.”

“Noted. Anything else?”

“Nothing that I can think of. If you don’t mind, can I ask about Servix?”

“Like what?”

“You haven’t said anything about it all day. Did something happen?”

He sighed, stabbing a pancake with his fork. “It was interesting.”

“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine.”

“Well...on the way to find the life sign, I saw a body. She looked young, about mom’s age.”

“What happened?” He curiously asked.

“It looks like she was stabbed. I don’t know if Katherine noticed at all.”

“Is this in relation to the little girl?”

Luke nodded, “It was her mother. Turns out there were some gang members or something similar, and they took her away, killing her afterwards. We found Zara hiding in a closet.”

“I did happen to notice that Katherine seems a bit calmer now that she’s around.”

“Really?”

Arthur nodded, “Well, she did have two younger sisters. I heard she helped raise them, so it must have been a shock when she lost them in the downfall.”

“I didn’t know…”

“Yeah. I suggest you tread lightly when mentioning family, it seems to be a sensitive topic for her.”

“How do you know all this?”

He shrugged, “I tend to observe my surroundings a lot.”

Luke smiled, “So what do you know about me then?”

“Well…” Arthur started to speak, and time seemed to fly by. Eventually it grew late and Luke yawned, standing up from the countertop. He tapped the countertop’s screen, closing everything and shutting it off.

“Going to bed?” Arthur smiled.

“Yeah, it’s been a long day.”

“Well, we still have more to do tomorrow.”

“Yay…”

The two parted ways and Luke found himself in front of Katherine’s bedroom. He hesitated for a moment and gently opened the door a crack. There were fairy lights hanging around the room, giving it a soft glow in the darkness. Katt lay on the bed, Zara fast asleep on her chest. 

Luke smiled and gently hit a switch, turning off the ambience lights. Afterwards he closed the door behind him, and made his way back to his bedroom. He quickly got ready for bed, and soon fell asleep. 

Soon a week had passed by, and Luke found himself sitting in his office, Arthur standing in front of him. Luke held out a folder towards Arthur, “Can you hand this to Katherine?”

“May I ask what it is, in case she wants to know?”

“It’s nothing important.”

“Understood. I’ll get this to her immediately.”

“She should be in her office right now.”

Arthur nodded and left, making his way to her office. He knocked on the door, but found no reply. He gently opened it and Katherine looked over from her laptop. “Can I help you with something?”

“Yes.” He said, walking in. “Lukas requested I give this to you.”

“What is it?”

“He didn’t say.”

“Put it on the desk, I’ll get to it later.”

Arthur nodded and gently placed it down on the desk, promptly leaving after. Time passed by and eventually there was a knock on the door. Ava walked in and sat down on the couch, sighing to herself.

“What’s wrong?” Katherine said, looking over at her.

“I didn’t realize how energetic Zara was. I’m glad that she’s doing better though.”

“Where is she?”

“Ah she grew tired so I put her down for a nap.”

Katherine smiled, “That’s good.” She shoved something on her desk, knocking a few papers over, eventually pulling out a small paper “Aha there it is.”

Ava reached over onto the floor, picking up a folder. “What’s this?”

“Something Arthur dropped off, I forgot about it.”

She flipped through it, and was silent after a few moments. Katherine looked over, “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s fine.”

“Hand me the folder.”

“No, don’t worry about it.”

“Ava, that’s a command.” She said, her voice stern.

“Yes Katherine. My apologies.” Ava said, getting up and walking over, handing Katherine the folder.

She looked through it, and then up at Ava. “Get me Neptix. Now.”


	6. Cinnamon, Sugar and Honey

Luke walked along the halls, looking down at his phone. Suddenly he felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned around to find Ava with a stern expression on her face. “Katherine would like to see you, now.”

“I’m busy.”

“It can wait.”

He sighed and followed her to the office, walking in behind Ava. Katherine glared at him as he walked in, “Ava, leave us.”

“Understood. Let me know if you need anything.” She said, disappearing.

“So what’s this about?” Luke said, looking over at her. 

She threw the folder at him and the papers fluttered to the floor. “Explain yourself.”

“Did you even read it?”

“Of course I did! You must be actually insane to think of something like that.”

“I only want what’s best for-”

“And you think taking Zara and tossing her into a new family will fix it?”

He nodded, picking up the papers. “I think she’ll be fine.”

“What do you know about kids?”

“I-”

“You don’t know what it’s like. Imagine if everyone you knew died. Then next thing you know, there’s two strangers in your home, telling you to come with them.”

“Katherine, I just want what’s best for Zara.”

“Next thing you know everyone is fucking looking up to you and critcizing you every move, and you can barely breathe.”

“I think you’re getting off topic.”

She slammed her hands on the desk, “When it comes to Zara, I’m the one to make those decisions. You’ve made it clear you don’t want anything to do with her, so I’ll be the one to decide where she stays.”

“Last I checked, it was both of our choices.”

“And last I checked, you sent Arthur to bring me the folder, rather than you bringing it yourself. What kind of captain are you, if you don’t own your actions?”

“We’re too busy to take care of a child! I’ve been the one doing most of the work, while you sit about.”

“Oh really now? I do more than you ever have.”

“Prove it!”

She grabbed a small tablet off her desk, tossing it over at him. He caught it and looked over at it, weeks worth of work done in just one week. “You…”

“Looks like you’ve been the one slacking behind.” She smiled. “If you don’t like the fact I’m helping care for Zara, then remove me from power.”

“Then maybe I will.” He said, tossing the tablet onto the couch and walking out. 

The room was silent for a moment, and Ava appeared seconds later. “Katherine are you-”

She was cut off as Katherine ran her hands along the desk, shoving off half the contents. Ava reached for them and caught most of the items, a few items still fell on the ground and shattered. She sighed and stood up, “Katherine…”

“I can’t stand this place. It’s this and that, and nobody listens to what I say.”

“Give it time.”

“I don’t have time! No one trusts me, and they never will!”

“You worry too much.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

Ava made her way over to a bookshelf, gently pulling a book off. She flipped through it, “They say stress is bad for your health, according to this book.”

“At this point I don’t care.”

“Do you not like the position you’re in?”

Katherine reached over for a small glass globe on her desk, looking it over. “You know what’s funny? I never wanted this damn position to start with.” Without another moment of hesitation, she tossed it over towards the wall.

Ava caught it and turned around, snapping the book shut. “You need to relax.”

“How can I, when everyone is breathing down my neck and judging everything I do?! He acts like he hasn’t lost anyone and now he’s trying to get rid of Zara…”

“Some people have different ways of coping. Maybe he just wants to forget what happened.”

“And that is what’s wrong with the Neptix generation!” She said, grabbing another item and throwing it, which Ava caught once more. “They always try to shove things in the past to make it better for them, and leave us Nevixo to clean up their mess.”

“Katherine… I need you to relax, you’re going to make yourself sick.”

She was quiet and Ava turned around to find her leaning on the desk, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t want to forget.”

Ava made her way over and wrapped her arms around Katherine, her voice gentle and soft as she spoke. “You won’t, I promise you.” She noticed a spot of blood on the desk, and gently picked up one of Katherine’s hands. “You’re bleeding.”

“I’m fine.”

“It’s a deep wound though.”

“It’ll be fine Ava.”

She sighed, “Stay here, I’ll get something to treat it.”

Ava left and bumped into Arthur in the hallway.

“Oh I’m sorry.” He said, looking her over. “I don’t recognize you, are you new?”

“My name is Ava actually. I’m Katherine’s assistant, created by her mother Kylie.”

“You’re a program?”

“Indeed I am. I wish I could talk more, but I’m busy at the moment.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

She thought for a moment, “Do you know where bandages and medical supplies are?”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes, Katherine just had a bit of an injury.”

Arthur had a worried look on his face, “What happened?”

As the two walked along the hallway, Ava explained to him what had transpired. They made their way into a small room and he sighed. “So that’s what was in the folder. I thought Luke knew better than that.”

“Yes well, he seems to have angered Katt a fair bit.”

He pulled a small bag out of the cabinet. “Would it be okay if I had a talk with Katherine?”

“As long as you don’t anger her, yes.”

“Does she like coffee?”

“Is this relevant?”

“Well I think it’s nice to have a drink when you’re chatting.”

Ava nodded, taking the bag from Arthur. “She prefers coffee with a bit of milk, a teaspoon of honey and cinnamon, with two scoops of sugar.”

He smiled, “I’ll meet you in a bit then.”

The two parted ways and Ava made her way back to the office. Katherine was sitting down in her chair, scrolling through her phone. Ava walked over and quickly fixed up her hand. As she wrapped a bandage around it, there was a gentle knock at the door. 

Arthur walked in, carrying two cups of coffee. He placed one down on Katherine’s desk, noticing the broken items on the floor. She looked over at the cup, and he smiled. “May we talk?”

“Did Neptix send you?”

“No, he hasn’t. I’m here of my own will.”

“What do you want?” She said, picking up the cup and looking inside.

“It’s coffee, the way Ava said you liked it.”

“You can’t win me over with favours, if that’s what you’re going for.”

“Of course not, I want to help.”

Ava was silent and he continued to speak. “Ava told me what had happened, and I’m aware of Luke’s actions. I’d like to assist in helping take care of Zara.”

“Sounds like a cheap favour.”

“I promise, I want what’s best for Zara. You see, I have kids and grandkids of my own, so I get how it feels. I want what’s best for all of them, no matter what.”

Katherine was silent and Arthur sighed, “I know you have no reason to trust me, but I sincerely want to help. Seeing as how you’re busy, I’d like to assist you, if needed.”

Ava smiled, “I think it would be nice to have a bit more help with Zara actually, seeing how much energy she has.”

After a few moments Katherine sighed, “Ava, set up a new register.”

“Yes ma’am. For what name shall I register?”

Katt looked over at Arthur and he smiled, “It’s Arthur Lacriox.”

“Noted. Arthur Lacriox’s life signs are now being tracked, and is registered into the system.”

“Thank you for allowing me this chance.”

“Don’t fuck it up.” Katherine said, holding out a hand towards him.

“You have my word.” He said, grabbing her hand in his and shaking it. "What do you want me to tell Lukas?"

Before she could reply, there was a gentle knock at the door. Zara walked in, trailing a blanket behind her. She held a stuffed bunny in her arms, her voice soft as she spoke. "Katt, I can't sleep..."

Katherine got up and gently picked up Zara, who leaned against her chest. She looked over to Arthur, "Tell him no, and my answer is final."

"Understood, have a good night."

She left and Arthur looked over at Ava, a smile on his face. "I should get going. Have a good night."

The two parted ways, meanwhile Katherine laid in bed, Zara wrapped her arms around Katt, who smiled. "Did you have a bad dream?"

"Yeah..."

"It's okay honey." She said, pulling the blanket up over her. "You know I was thinking, how about tomorrow we decorate a room just for you?"

"That sounds fun."

"Yeah, well you have to get some sleep first."

"Okay..."

Zara soon fell fast asleep, and the ship was silent, tension still hung in the air. The lights were slowly starting to turn on, signaling the day light would start soon. Katherine sighed, and soon fell asleep, the fairy lights in the room softly twinkling.


	7. Blueberry Waffles

There was a knock at the door and Lukas looked over as it opened. Adam walked in, carrying some papers in his arms. “Good morning. Am I interrupting anything?”

“Not at all. What do you need?”

“Well… I was wondering if you saw Katherine.”

“Go find her yourself.” He snapped.

Adam seemed taken aback, “Did something happen yesterday?”

“It’s none of your business.”

“I see… Have a good day.”

He left, gently closing the door behind him. Lukas sighed and leaned on the desk, running his hands through his hair. 

Meanwhile Katherine sat on the ground in an empty room, a paintbrush in her hand. Arthur sat nearby and Ava was sitting next to Zara, watching as she scrolled through pictures of flowers. Katt carefully painted a butterfly on the wall, looking over at the three. “Did you figure out what flowers you wanted?”

“No…”

“Well which ones do you like?” 

She scrolled around for a bit and landed on a page that had no picture. “This one has a pretty name.”

“An Aventarix? I haven’t heard of that before.” Arthur said, looking over at Katherine. “Do you happen to know what that is?”

“Yeah…” She said, setting the paintbrush down and grabbing the tablet from Zara. She tapped away at it for a few moments, and then handed it back to her. “What do you think?”

“Is this you Katherine?” Arthur glanced at the picture, where a young girl sat, surrounded by flowers. The flowers themselves were black and seemed to have a galaxy like pattern on each of the petals, white accents on the petals, with a gold stem and leaves. 

“Mhm…” She said, picking up the paintbrush and continuing to paint once more.

“How come I’ve never heard of these flowers?”

“They’re extremely rare, and requite perfect conditions to grow, which are near impossible.”

“So then how did you manage them in this picture?”

“Well they’d only bloom for one week each year, around my birthday. Conditions seemed to be just right for them to grow, so that’s how.”

Zara smiled, “I like them! Can you paint those?”

Arthur nodded, picking up a paintbrush. “Of course.”

The two got to work, and time seemed to fly by. Zara had fallen asleep in Ava’s arms, the tablet still in her hands. There was a gentle tap at the door and it opened, Adam quietly walked in. “I’m sorry to bother. I couldn’t find you at first.”

“Do you need something?” Katherine said, looking over.

He nodded, “Yes. I charted out a path like you said, but I figured I’d let you take a look and see if you can find shorter routes.”

“Of course.”

Adam made his way over and sat on the ground as Katt put the paintbrush down. He handed her the papers and as she looked them over, he looked around the room. “It looks nice.”

“Thank you.”

“What flowers are those?”

“It’s nothing…” She said, flipping through the papers. “Do you have a pen on you?”

“Yes.” He said, procuring a pen and handing it to her. 

She took it from him and put the papers on the ground, starting to write on them. A few minutes passed and she handed them back over to Adam. “That should work.”

He looked over at them, “I couldn’t help but notice one of your paths goes through an asteroid system.”

“It’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, of course. So you think it’ll only take a few months?”

“Five months to a year, yes. It depends on how easy it is to get to the other planets.”

Adam nodded, standing up. “Sounds good. I’ll start charting it out and run it over with the crew.”

He left and Katherine continued to paint. The time flew by and eventually they stepped back to look at the walls. Arthur smiled, “I think it looks great.”

Ava nodded, gently standing up and carrying Zara in her ams. “Agreed. I should go put Hulu in bed.”

“I can do it. You should go recharge Ava.”

“Understood.” She said, gently handing Zara to Katherine. 

Arthur wiped some paint off his hands, and Ava disappeared. He noticed a bracelet on Katherine’s wrist began to glow a soft blue. “Did you always wear a bracelet?”

“It’s another way to carry Ava around, that’s it.”

“Ah I see. I suppose we should let it dry then, before we put furniture in here.”

She nodded and Arthur stretched his arms. “I should get going, Luke’s probably been wondering where I am.”

“Of course. Thanks for your help.”

He left and stopped by the kitchen, grabbing a plate of food. Arthur then arrived at Luke’s office, letting himself in. Lukas looked over from the desk, a sour look on his face. “And where the hell have you been?”

“Someone’s in a bad mood. Have you had anything to even eat all day?”

“Why does it matter?”

Arthur walked over to the desk, putting down the plate of waffles, a gentle smile on his face. “Blueberry waffles.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Are you still upset about what happened yesterday?”

He was silent and Arthur sighed, sitting down in the chair. “I think it’s best you try to look at this from Katherine’s view.”

“And that is?”

“Well, she grew up helping to raise her younger sisters, and then she lost them in the downfall. It would seem she’s bonded to Zara quite a bit because she’s been through something similar.”

Luke sighed, “All I asked was for her to be rehomed to an actual family.”

“Family can be anything. For Katherine, right now she sees Zara as her only family, and just wants what’s best for her.”

“Then what do you suggest I do?”

Arthur thought for a moment, “Well, it did turn Winter not too long ago. That means the festival is coming up soon.”

“Yeah?”

“Well it’s been known that Katheine usually plans ahead, but it would seem she hasn’t planned anything for the festival yet. Maybe you could gain a bit of trust by doing all the planning and arranging?”

“When is it supposed to be?”

“Two weeks.”

He shrugged, “I guess that’s enough time. Where do we start?”


	8. Strawberry Tea

Lukas and Arthur made their way down the hall, it was silent between the two. Arthur tapped away at his tablet, “So we got all the food and vendors figured out. Anything left?”

“Well what did the last Winter festival have?”

He scrolled through some pictures, “Ah flowers, we should probably arrange something with one of the florists.”

“Know of any good ones?”

“Well, I did hear that there’s one that’s pretty well known.”

“Let’s go find him then.”

The two eventually found themselves in the town center, walking up to a small building. As they walked in, they noticed how quiet it was, no one was in the store.

Arthur looked over at Lukas, “We could always check the greenhouse?”

He nodded and they walked out the store and towards the back, where a large greenhouse sat. As they made their way in, a man looked over at them. He stood up and smiled, “Captain Neptix! How can I help you?”

Luke smiled, “You can just call me Luke. Are you Michael Straux?”

“I am, but you can call me Mikey if you want. Is there something you needed?”

Arthur nodded, “We were planning the festival, and we wanted to look into getting florals done for it.”

“Well you came to the right person.”

He smiled, motioning for them to follow him. They followed him inside and he headed to the back, walking out with three cups a few minutes later. “I heard you liked tea?”

Lukas smiled as Michael handed it to them. “I do.”

“Great. It’s a strawberry tea, with a bit of honey.” He said, sitting down. “So what were you thinking?”

“I don’t know? I’m not really into the designing side of things.”

Michael pulled a tablet off the counter and opened it, “Do you have a layout for the festival?”

Arthur nodded, handing him the sheet. Michael looked it over, and then scribbled away on the tablet. After a few moments, he held it out towards Luke. “What do you think?”

“It looks great.”

“Perfect. How does a white, blue and gold color scheme sound?”

“Sounds fine by me.”

Arthur’s phone chimed and he took it out of his pocket, looking it over. “I’m needed elsewhere, is that okay?”

Luke nodded, “Of course.”

He left and Lukas took a sip of his tea. Michael looked him up and down, “So how’s Katt doing?”

“Do you know her?”

“Personally, yes. Her and I were best friends, but we haven’t spoken since…”

“Does she know you’re alive?”

Michael shrugged, “No idea.”

“How do you know her?”

He smiled, taking a sip of his drink. “Years ago there was an incident when Katt was young, and she stopped trusting people. Her father asked my mother to help arrange a bouquet for her, to try and cheer her up. That’s when I met her, we eventually bonded and became best friends.”

“I don’t get how the hell you could stand her.”

“Let me guess, she’s gotten really snappy lately?”

He nodded, and Michael chuckled. “Sounds like you’ve been having fun.”

“Want to take my spot?”

“I’m not one for leading.”

“Well...you could always become a crew member and manage festivals and decor.”

Michael smiled, “As lovely as that sounds, I believe that’s a decision to be made by both captains.”

“As if she’ll agree with me.”

“Here’s some advice. Katt may seem cold and heartless, but inside she’s really loving and sweet. It takes time to build her trust up, she doesn’t want to get hurt again.”

“Again? What exactly happened?”

He shook his head, looking down at his cup. “That’s something you’ll have to ask her yourself.”

“I see.” Luke sighed, his phone chiming. He looked over at it and groaned, Michael smiled once more. “Let me guess, Katt being grumpy?”

“You two are that close, huh?”

“Well we did grow up together for about fifteen or so years.”

“Ah, okay.” He said, standing up. “I should get going, thank you for all your help. And do consider maybe taking a job as a crew member.”

“I’ll think it over, once you’ve had that conversation with Katt.”

“Of course. Have a good day.”

He left and made his way to the flight cabin, Arthur greeted him as he walked in. Adam was sitting at a table, Katt across from him and Zara asleep in her arms. Luke spoke in a hushed tone as they walked over, “What happened?”

Arthur shook his head, and the two took their seats. Adam looked over and tapped on the table, a projection popped up. “So I mapped the flight plan. I do have some concerns.”

“Such as?” Katherine said, grabbing her tablet off the table. 

“Well I asked you earlier about the asteroid system. It would seem as the downfall increased the amount of asteroids, making it much more dangerous.”

“So can’t we just go around it?” Luke asked. 

“No, that’ll increase our time by at least two months. If there are people alive, they might not have two months left.”

“We can’t rescue everyone.”

Katherine glared over at him, “Nice to know you care so much about other people's lives.”

“I-”

She held up a hand motioning for him to be silent, and looked back over at Adam. “What do you suggest?”

“We can still go through the system, but we’re putting the ship in danger. However, we can either look for an opening, or pilot the ship as carefully as possible.”

“Who says you have to pilot it? Ava, come here.”

Ava appeared, a smile on her face. “How may I assist you Katherine?”

“Would you be comfortable with piloting the ship?”

“Of course. I can keep us out of imminent danger, if necessary.”

“That could work, yes.” Adam said, looking over at Luke. “What do you think?”

He shrugged and Katherine sighed, snapping at him. “Do you not care if people die?”

“I do, but I’m not the one who’s in control of Ava.”

Adam looked over between them, “I need an agreement from both of you actually.”

Luke sighed, “It’s fine by me.”

“Then it’s settled, we’ll have Ava pilot the ship to get through the asteroid system. That makes our plan about five to six months, at best.”

Katherine nodded and Zara turned in her arms, clutching Katt’s jacket tightly. “Try and send a message to the other planets, let them know help is on the way.”

Zara’s voice was soft as she spoke, a slight hint of fear. “Momma…”

Adam nodded, “Of course.”

“Right well, I should get going.” Katt said, standing up. She left the room and Lukas sighed, leaning back in the chair. Adam looked over at him, “Something the matter?”

“It’s nothing. So run the plan by me again?”

The three talked for hours, and eventually night fell. Lukas walked out of the room and headed to his bedroom. He groaned and face planted on the bed, soon falling asleep. Meanwhile Katherine sat on the bed with Zara, scrolling through pictures of Galastar.

Zara swiped to the next picture, a picture of Galastar’s landscape appeared. She sighed, leaning against Katherine. “It looks so pretty. Do you miss it?”

“Yeah…”

“We’re going to find a new home eventually, right?”

“Of course. First we have to see if we can rescue any people though.”

“Can I help?”

Katherine smiled, “Maybe when you’re older.”

“But I wanna help now…”

“We’ll see.”

The room was silent, and Zara looked over at Katt. “Are you sad?”

“No, just tired.”

“I miss my momma. Is there anyone you miss?”

“Yeah… I miss my family, but I know they’re in a better place.”

Zara yawned, “When we find a new home, can we build a big garden to remember them all?”

“Of course. For now, you need to get some sleep."

Katherine wrapped her in a hug, and Zara soon fell fast asleep. Katherine looked over at the tablet once more, a smile on her face.


	9. Greek Yogurt

The week quickly passed by, and it was the night before the festival. Luke found himself in his greenhouse with Michael, looking over the flowers. 

Michael smiled, picking up a small bundle of flowers. “What do you think? Most of the flowers are up but these I’m waiting for until tomorrow, since they’re so delicate.”

“They look lovely.”

There was a tap at the door and Arthur walked in. “Sorry to bother, but you’re needed at the flight cabin.”

“Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow?” Luke said, looking over at Michael, who nodded.

“Sure thing. Get some rest.”

The two left, and Luke looked over at Arthur. ‘What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I wanted to talk with you in private.”

“About what?”

“How are you going to convince Katherine to go?”

He shrugged, “I don’t know.”

They made their way into the kitchen, where Zara sat at the countertop. There was a bowl in front of her, filled with greek yogurt and fruit. Ava was at the stove, and Luke took a seat next to Zara.

“Is something the matter Lukas?” Ava said, glancing over.

“It’s just festival stuff.”

“What’s a festival?” Zara said, looking in between them.

“Did you never go to one?”

She shook her head and Luke sighed, “Usually it’s to celebrate things. We’re having one tomorrow to celebrate Winter, and the new flowers blooming.”

“Sounds boring.”

“It’s not! There’s going to be games, and a whole bunch of different food.”

Zara smiled, “Games? I love playing games!”

There was a huff from behind them, “We don’t have time for games.”

Ava smiled, “Wello good morning to you too Katherine.”

She walked in, sitting on the other side of Zara. “I thought it was night time.”

“You slept in all day.”

“Yeah yeah. What’s this about a festival? We were going to cancel it this year.”

“I decided against it.” Luke smiled.

“And you managed to plan it in what, two weeks?”

“Yes, I did.”

Katherine rolled her eyes, and Ava put a plate of food in front of her. “Chicken, just the way you like it.”

“And Zara’s eating yogurt because?”

“I don’t wanna eat chicken!”

“It was the only thing she’d eat.”

She sighed, poking at her food. Zara looked over at Katt, “Can we go to the thing tomorrow?”

“No.”

“But I wanna!”

“Arthur, can you take her?” Katt said, looking over at Arthur who was drinking coffee.

“I can, but aren’t you going?”

“Of course not. I don’t have time to waste on such things.”

Zara huffed, “Then I’m not going.”

“Don’t be so difficult.”

“I want you to come with me!”

Katt sighed, “No.”

Lukas gently smiled, “Well it’s best we all go, since the rest of the crew is going and…”

He stopped talking as he looked over, seeing Katherine glaring at him. Zara began to cry, and Katt sighed. “Fine… But only for an hour.”

“Really?”

Katherine nodded and wiped some tears off Zara’s cheek. “Yeah…”

“Yay!”

“But first you have to eat something other than yogurt.”

“Do I really?” She pouted. 

“Mhm.”

“I guess some chicken is okay…”

The night continued on and eventually everyone was soundly asleep in bed. Morning soon came and music started to gently play in Katherine's bedroom. Ava’s voice spoke from the nightstand, “Good morning Katherine.” 

She looked over at the device, “What?”

“It’s the day of the festival.”

“Yeah, no.”

“Have you seen Zara by the way?”

“She’s in her room.”

“I didn’t see her, and I can’t find her life sign.”

Katt sat up in bed, “What do you mean, you can’t find her?”

“I can’t locate her at the moment.”

She quickly got out of the bed, throwing on a black cardigan jacket. “Where was she last?”

“Her bedroom.” Ava said, the bracelet on Katt’s wrist gently flashing. She made her way to Zara’s bedroom and looked inside, to find it empty. “What the hell…”

Katherine made her way around the area, until she arrived at the kitchen. As she walked in, Ava looked over at her, a smile on her face. Luke sat at the countertop, Zara next to him, eating from a stack of pancakes. 

“Good morning sunshine.”

“I hate you.” Katt huffed, and turned back around. 

Ava caught up to her in the hallway, “Katherine, where are you going?”

“Back to bed.”

“Wait what?”

Katherine walked into the bedroom, closing the door in Ava’s face. As she plopped down onto the bed, Ava appeared in the middle of the room. “Katherine, you told Zara you would go.”

“I said for an hour. I don’t have to be there when the damn thing starts.”

“You should still get ready.”

“Let me sleep for another thirty minutes.”

“Fine.” She said, disappearing.

The time flew by and Katt was fast asleep once more. Ava appeared and yanked the sheets off, “It’s been thirty minutes.”

“Avaaaa….”

“You said thirty more minutes.”

“Another hour…”

“I cannot take another time request until tomorrow, my apologies.”

She placed a cup of coffee down on the table next to Katt, “It’s just an hour.”

Katherine sat up and grabbed the coffee, taking a sip. “Must I?”

“Yes, it’s your duty as captain to at least be there for the start of the ceremony.”

“I don’t want to.”

“But you have to.” Ava said, opening Katt’s closet. “By the way, your mother made a program for me to create outfits.”

“Why?”

“She figured it’s best if a captain matches her crew, and who knows you better than me?”

Katt groaned, taking a sip of her coffee again. “Joy.”

She got up and quickly got ready, and eventually found herself in the bathroom in front of the mirror. She put on some makeup and Ava sat on the edge of the tub, “You’re going to be late.”

“Ava. Does it look like I care right now?”

“You seem stressed.”

Katt sighed, putting her hands on the countertop. “ Everyone hates me, so why do I even need to go?”

“Not everyone hates you.”

“Like who?”

“Zara doesn’t hate you.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. The public wants to see me gone, they don’t trust me.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong though?”

She sighed, “I know. After the whole thing with Lizzy...it took years for dad to get the public’s trust back. Now that all this has happened, all that work was for nothing.”

“Then you’ll have to show them their wrongs.”

Katherine was silent, and Ava tilted her head. “Is something the matter?”

“I can’t do this.” She said, walking out of the bathroom. Katherine began to pace around the bedroom, and Ava stood in the bathroom’s door frame. “It’s going to be fine.”

“How do you know that? They want me out of power, I might as well remove myself from my position.”

“There’s no need for that.” Ava said, looking over at the clock. “If you aren’t careful, you’ll be late.”

“Another reason for them to hate me.”

“Katherine…”

“I can’t do this.”

Ava picked up the mug and motioned Katt over to the bed, having her sit down. She handed her the cup, and sat on the bed next to her. “You need to relax.”

“I’m just worried…”

“And that’s okay. It’s fine to worry, but you can’t let it control you.”

She was silent and Ava thought for a moment. “I just remembered, you need to meet the new crew member.”

“The what?”

“Supposedly Lukas hired a new crew member.”

“He never asked for my approval. Who are they?”

Ava shrugged, “No idea.”

Katherine stood up from the bed, “How dare he go around and just toss out the role without asking me first?”

“That’s the Katt I know.” Ava said, a smile on her face.

“Where is he?”

“He’s near the town square. Why?”

Katherine set the cup down on the desk, stretching her arms. “Let’s go. I need to have a chat with Lukas.”

The two left and Katherine led the way, eventually they found Luke. Nearby Arthur sat with Zara on a bench, the two playing on a tablet. There was a light snow falling, and Katherine made her way over towards Luke. “You, we need to have a talk.”

“Did I do something wrong?” He said, not bothering to turn around.

“Who’s this new crew member, and without my permission too?”

“I simply gave them an offer. They want your approval before anything.”

“And who do you think you are to just toss offers around left and right?”

There was a tug at Katt’s jacket, and she looked down to see Zara standing next to her. “Katt, is it time for the festival yet?”

“Not yet sunshine.” She gently smiled. 

Luke looked over and was left speechless for a moment, then collected himself. “Would you like to meet them?”

“Yes.”

He led the way and they arrived at the balcony, where a man on a ladder stood. He was hanging up a garland and looked over, losing his balance on the ladder.

Ava appeared and held the ladder, Michael smiled down at her. “Hey Ava, been a while.”

“And to you too Michael.”

Michael looked over at Katherine, a smile on his face. “Bet you thought I was dead, huh?”

“You’re too stubborn to die.” Katt huffed.

He made his way down the ladder, brushing himself off. “Nice to see you too.”

“Yeah yeah. Since when did you want to be a part of a crew?”

“Well if it means I get to work with you all the time… I’d consider it.” He smiled, wrapping her in a hug.

“You’re lucky we’re friends.”

Katherine picked up Zara and looked over at Lukas, “This is the only time I’m approving some stupid idea of yours. Understood?”

“Of course.” 

Michael grinned and grabbed her hand, “Come on, the festival’s about to start.”

She smiled, letting out a small laugh, “Okay okay.”

The three left and Luke put his hands into the pockets of his jacket, a smile on his face as he followed them.


	10. Strawberry Shortcake

Katherine paced around in the small area behind the town center, Ava looking at her worriedly. “Are you okay?”

She looked at Zara who was tapping away on a tablet nearby. “Yeah, I’m fine…”

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

“Ava, can you just hush for five minutes?”

“Katherine, it’s going to be okay...”

“I can’t do this.”

“Just relax.” Luke’s voice said, walking up behind them. 

“Like I’d take advice from you.”

“It’s going to be okay, just be confident.”

Zara ran over as it started to lightly snow again. “Katt look! It’s snowing!”

“So it is.”

Luke walked past Katherine, whispering in her ear on the way past. “If you care so much about Zara, show them that you aren’t afraid. That you belong here.”

He walked out into the town square, followed by Arthur, and Katherine looked over at Ava. She gently nodded, a smile on her face. “I’ll be with you, don’t worry.”

Katherine looked over at Zara, who was making a small ball of snow. She looked up at Katt, an eager look on her face. “Is it time for the festival?”

“Yeah… Ready to go?” She said, picking Zara up.

“I want to play games and eat all the sweet foods!”

“We’ll see about that.”

Ava walked forward and Katherine followed behind. They joined Luke in the town square, who was talking to a few people near him. Zara tossed the snowball over at Luke, which hit him in the back. 

He turned around and Katherine chuckled, as Zara stuck her tongue out. Lukas smiled and excused himself from the group, making his way over. “Who did that?”

Zara smiled, “You’d said there’d be candy. Can I have some?”

“Well only if Katherine says so.”

“I suppose it’ll be fine.” She sighed.

Katherine gently put Zara down and she walked over to Lukas. He smiled, gently grabbing her hand and leading her off in the direction of the food stands. 

Arthur made his way over, and Katherine looked over at him. “Since when did Luke actually care about Zara?”

He shrugged, “Maybe he’s starting to change his mind?”

Someone grabbed Katherine’s arm and she turned around to find Michael behind her, a smile on his face. “There you are.”

“Can I help you?”

“How about we celebrate over some ice cream?”

“What are we celebrating?”

“Well I’m an official crew member, thanks to you.” He smiled. “Then again, I saw a small cake stand.”

“Sounds like someone’s trying to convince me to have fun.”

“What me? No, I’d never.”

Ava chuckled, “We might as well explore the ship. After all, you haven’t gone out much to look around.”

Katt sighed, “Where’s the cake?”

Michael smiled, looping his arm in hers. “Let’s go.”

The day flew by, Katherine and Michael found themselves in a small garden. Katt swung back and forth on the bench swing, and Michael was nearby observing the flowers. He plucked one off the bush and walked over to Katt, sitting on the bench. 

He gently put the flower in her hair and she smiled. “So why didn’t you message me?”

“I lost my phone in the downfall.”

“Of course you would.”

“So...what’s going on with Zara?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… Do you need help with her?”

She smiled, “She is a handful sometimes, but I think I’ve got it.”

“If you ever need any help, let me know. Speaking of, I’m moving into the crew quarters later.”

“Good luck with that.”

“What, you aren’t going to help?”

Katherine stuck her tongue out, “Nah, I’ll pass.”

He smiled, nudging her in the arm. “Rude. Looks like someone needs a coffee.”

Before she could speak, a voice called her name. “Katt!”

She looked over to find Zara running over, snow all over her. She held a small box in her hands, a big smile on her face.

“Hey sunshine. What’s up?”

Zara walked over and Katt picked her up, setting her down on the bench between her and Michael. “I got you a cupcake!”

“Oh really, what flavour?”

“Well I didn’t know what you liked, so I took a guess! I got you a strawberry shortcake one.”

She smiled, “I love strawberries.”

“Really?”

Katherine nodded and wrapped an arm around Zara. Michael gently rocked the bench as he and Katt had a conversation, Zara was asleep within minutes. Katt took the box and gently placed it next to her on the bench and picked up Zara, wrapping her jacket around her. 

A few moments later, Luke ran up, seemingly out of breath. “You found her…”

She looked over at him, “Excuse me?”

“She ran off in the crowd, I was worried-”

“So you just let her run off in a crowd of people, and it took you this long to find her?” She said, a hint of anger in her voice.

Michael looked over at her, but didn’t say anything.

Lukas ran a hand through his hair, “Well I had to take care of something but-”

“Nope.”

“I’m sorry.”

“If you think you’re able to run a ship, then you should be able to watch one child.”

“I didn’t mean to-” He said, but she cut him off once more.

“This conversation is over Neptix.”

He was quiet and nodded, “Of course, have a good day.”

Lukas left and Michael looked over at her, “So... want to explain what that was all about?”

She sighed, looking down at Zara. “He doesn’t care about Zara. Just a week or two ago, he wanted to rehome her to a “proper family.” We had a disagreement and haven’t gotten along since.”

“I see.” He said, running a hand through his hair. “My offer still stands.”

“Hmm?”

“If you ever need any help, just let me know.”

She gently smiled, “Thanks Mikey, I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I suppose you should get her to bed then?”

“Yeah… I’ll see you again later.”

Katherine gently picked up Zara and left, taking her back to her room. As she laid Zara in bed, she woke up and tugged at Katt’s jacket. “Can you stay with me for a bit?”

“Of course honey.”

Eventually the two fell asleep, and night soon fell. A while later, the door opened and Michael peeked in. He smiled and set the small box down on the dresser, turning off the lights behind him.


	11. Gingerbread Cocoa

Katt was fast asleep in her bed, but suddenly the sheets were pulled off. Michael smiled as they fell to the floor, “Good morning!”

She groaned and rolled over in the bed, “I regret hiring you.”

“Aww don’t say that.”

“What do you want?”

“Well it’s nearly afternoon and you’re still not up.”

“So?”

“I figured you’d want to help me set up the greenhouse.”

She rolled over in bed, “Pass.”

He huffed, “I brought you coffee.”

“What kind?”

“Vanilla with a hint of cinnamon. Two scoops of sugar and a bit of milk, your favorite.”

She sat up in bed and he handed her the cup. Michael sat down next to her, looking around the room. “Nice decoration.”

“Mhm thanks, did it myself.”

“Yeah, but it looks like your fuschia and painted ladies need some watering.”

“Go wild.” She said, taking a sip of her coffee.

Michael stood on the bed, reaching for the ceiling. “Half of these plants don’t even go together.”

“I was in a rush.”

“Well I know my first project.”

“Oh really now?”

He smiled, “Some valley lilies, forget-me-nots, lungwort would look nice.”

She nodded as he continued talking, and Michael eventually looked over. “Are you even listening?”

“Mhm…”

He sat down on the bed, and she looked him up and down. “Waiting on something?”

“For you to get ready, yes.”

“I get it. Give me five minutes.”

Michael smiled and stood up, “I’ll be counting.”

As he left the room, Katt’s bracelet gently blinked. Ava’s voice spoke gently, “It’s going to be cold today Katherine, I suggest you wear something warm.”

“Good morning to you too.”

“You don’t have anything planned for today.”

“Well now I do, according to Mikey.”

She chuckled, “Peppy as always I see.”

“Mhm…”

Katherine got up and quickly got ready, as she walked out of the room, Zara ran up to her. “Morning!”

“Aren’t you supposed to be with Lukas at the festival?”

“Michael told me you were helping him with flowers, and I want to help!”

She looked Zara up and down, then sighed. “Well let’s get you in a different outfit.”

“Why?”

“You’re wearing a nice outfit, and don’t want to get that dirty.”

“But why?”

“I’ll explain later.” She said as Zara grabbed her hand.

They left and Zara quickly got changed, and then the two made their way to the gardens, where a large greenhouse sat. As they walked in, Michael looked over from the ladder. He nearly lost his balance, and Katherine sighed. “Can’t you go one day without falling off a ladder?”

“I guess it’s a habit of mine.” 

Zara looked around the greenhouse, where a few flowers already sat. “It’s so pretty.”

Michael climbed down from the ladder and crouched down next to Zara. “Do you want to help me pick out flowers?”

“For what?”

“We’re going to redo Katt’s bedroom.”

Katherine looked up from her tablet, “Wait, we’re doing that today?”

“Of course! So what do you say Zara?”

“Yes! Thanks for letting me help Mikey!”

“Mikey?” Katt curiously asked.

He smiled, sticking his tongue out. “What, you thought you’d be the only one to use it?”

“Aww and here I thought I was special.”

“So you're going to help?”

She put the tablet down on a table and rolled up her sleeves. “Of course.”

The next two hours flew by, and the three found themselves in Katherine’s bedroom. Michael planted the last flower in the ceiling and sat down on the bed next to Zara. 

“It looks so cute.” Zara smiled.

“I agree, it does look good.” Katherine nodded, taking a sip of coffee. 

Michael chuckled, “Do you regret your decision now?”

“Yep.”

“Awww, you’re no fun.”

She smiled and Michael pulled his phone out of his pocket. He tapped the screen and smiled, “Right so. I set up a watering system so they should be fine.”

“And if they aren’t?”

“Then feel free to fire me.”

She chuckled and there was a knock at the door. It opened and Arthur walked in, carrying a cup. “I figured you were all in here. I brought Zara something from the festival.”

He handed Zara the cup, “It’s gingerbread flavored hot cocoa.” 

“Thank you.”

“Of course.” He smiled, looking over at Katherine. “What have you three been up to all day? Ava told me you were planting?”

Michael smiled, pointing at the ceiling. “I set up a watering system in the ceiling and planted some new flowers.”

“Oh, it looks lovely. By the way I thought I’d mention, a few flowers are seeming to wilt.”

“Which ones?”

“The light blue ones with golden specks.”

Michael quickly got up, “I’ll go figure it out.”

He left and Arthur pulled out the desk chair, sitting in it. Zara sipped through the drink, and Katt looked over at her. “Is it good?”

“Yeah… That’s the good shit.”

“Zara!”

“What? I learned it from Lukas.”

Katherine took a deep breath and then sighed heavily. Arthur chuckled, running a hand through his hair. “Zara, you can’t say stuff like that.”

“Why?”

“Well that’s a bad word.”

“Oh… I’m sorry Katt.”

She smiled, “It’s okay honey, you didn’t know what it meant.”

“Soooo… can we go to the festival?” Zara asked, looking in between the two.

“It’s almost over for the day Zara.” Arthur smiled.

“Then what about tomorrow?”

“You can ask Mikey if he wants to go with you.” Katt said, looking at her phone. 

“What if you come too?”

“Why?”

“You and Mikey are so much fun! Luke is so boring, all he does is want to work.” Zara huffed.

Arthur and Katt looked at each other, and both burst out into laughter. After a few moments, Katt nodded. “If you want me to, sure.”

“Really?”

Katherine nodded and Zara bounced on top of the bed, nearly spilling the drink. She smiled, “Yay! I want to go play games this time. Wait, can we get cake again?”

“Only if you behave, and no more bad words.”

“I promise.”

Michael walked back in, and looked over at Katt. “Well you’re in a good mood. Did the coffee finally kick in?”

“Oh hush.”

Arthur’s phone chimed and he looked at it, then sighed. “Right well, I should get going. I’ll see you all later.”

“Of course, have a good day.”

He left and Michael looked over at Katherine, “So, want to go to the festival again tomorrow?”

“Already am, so ha.”

Zara smiled, “We can go together.”

Michael smiled at Katt, “That sounds perfect. By the way, tomorrow’s the last day.”

“Finally.”

Katt looked over at the clock, noticing how late it had gotten. She then looked over at Zara, “You ready for bed?”

“I want more hot cocoa though.”

“How about we get some more tomorrow?”

“Promise?

“I promise. We’ll get plenty of cocoa.”

Zara nodded, yawning. “Yeah…”

Michael stood up, stretching his arms. “I can take you to bed. Is that okay?”

“Yeah!”

She put the cup down on the nightstand and Michael crouched down. Zara hopped onto his back, a smile on her face. He walked out of the room with Zara, and Katt laid on the bed, pulling her tablet out. 

After a few moments, Michael walked back in. Katt looked over at him as he sat on the bed, laying down. “It looks good, right?”

“Yeah, it does.”

“Are you just saying that to make me feel good?”

“No.” She smiled, looking up. “It looks really pretty.”

Before he could speak, his phone chimed and he sighed. “You didn’t mention how busy I’d be when I joined.”

“I know.”

He sat up, “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Of course.”

After he left, Katt quickly showered and changed into more comfortable clothes. She plopped down on the bed, pulling the sheets up over her. 

She looked over her tablet for a few moments, and then shut it off, putting it on the nightstand. Meanwhile, Luke closed the door to his bedroom, sitting on the ground in front of the door. He sighed and pulled out his phone, scrolling through it. There was an uneasy feeling in the air, as if something bad were coming.


	12. Orange Juice

The room had a soft glow to it, and Ava’s voice gently spoke. “Good morning Katherine.”

“Morning to you too Ava.” Katt said, turning over in the bed.

“Are you alright?”

“What do you mean?”

“Your life sign seems irregular, and your temperature is higher than normal. You also slept in a bit later than usual too.”

“It’s just from all the work yesterday, don’t worry.”

Ava appeared, a worried look on her face. “If you say so. I’ll continue to monitor them, just in case.”

Katt sat up, “Thanks Ava. Is Zara up yet?”

“Yes. She’s with Michael at the moment, in the kitchen.”

“Has she had breakfast yet?”

“Indeed, it would seem she had a chocolate chip muffin and some orange juice.”

Katherine stretched and got up from the bed, taking her time to get ready. Ava pulled an outfit out of the closet, and Katt looked at it. “What’s that?”

“I figured it’s best you wear something special, since it’s the last day of the festival. It’ll keep you warm, since the Lumasphere’s set the temperature even lower.”

“Doesn’t feel that cold.”

“Well I increased the heat in your and Zara’s room slightly, if that’s fine?”

“Yeah, that’s okay.”

She started to get dressed, and finally sat on the bed, pulling on her boots. Ava smiled, fixing a strand of Katt’s hair. “Would you like me to be by your side today?”

“I think I’ll be fine for one day.”

“Of course, let me know if you need anything.”

Ava disappeared and Katt looked at herself in the mirror, taking a deep breath. She grabbed her phone off the nightstand and left the bedroom, making her way to the kitchen. Michael looked up at her as she walked in, noticing her outfit slightly matched his. He chuckled, “I guess Ava wanted the crew to match again?”

“It would seem that way, yes.” Katt looked over at Zara, who was also in somewhat matching attire. “What’d you have for breakfast?”

“Candy, that’s it.”

“Don’t be silly. Ava already told me.”

Zara huffed, “Are we going to get cocoa soon?”

Michael chuckled, placing a cup of coffee in front of Katherine. “Soon, yes. Give Katt time to wake up.”

“I’m awake, don’t worry. Besides, I can take this cup with me.”

“Are you sure?”

She looked over at him, “I’m a Captain of this ship. Pretty sure I can do whatever I want.”

“Right, I almost forgot!” He chuckled, running a hand through his hair. 

Katt stood up, grabbing the mug in her hands. Zara gently hopped off the chair, grabbing Michael’s hand. The two made their way out of the kitchen, and eventually Katt found themselves near the town square. She walked a bit behind the two, and Michael seemed to notice. He gently spoke to Zara and let go of her hand, walking back over to Katherine. 

Zara slowly walked in front of them, and Michael looked over at Katt. “You okay?”

“Yeah, it’s nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded and he sighed. “Worried again?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“They’ll come around in time, don’t worry. I wish they could see what I do, then they’d love you.”

“Oh hush.” She gently smiled.

“It’s true.”

“Okay okay, I believe you.”

“Is Ava not around?”

“I told her I’d be fine for now.”

He nodded, “Just let me know if you’re uncomfortable and we can leave.”

Katherine smiled once more, “Thanks Mikey.”

“Anything for you.” He winked. 

A snowball hit Michael in the side of his face, and he looked over to find Zara chuckling. “Ha I got you!”

He leaned over and grabbed a wad of snow, balling it up, then tossed it over towards Zara.

Katt smiled as the two ran around in the snow, taking a sip of her coffee as she watched the scene unfold. After a few moments, Michael stopped to catch his breath. 

“So are we going to play in the snow like a child, or go to the festival?” Katherine teased.

“I almost forgot.” He grinned, glancing over at Zara. “I’m watching you.”

She stuck her tongue out and the three finally made their way to the festival. Zara grabbed Michael’s hand and dragged him along, a smile on her face. They made their way around the festival, finally arriving at the small cocoa stand. 

They ended up getting two cups of cocoa, one for Michael and the other for Zara. They made their way around the festival, playing games and getting food from different stands. Zara walked in front of Katherine and Michael, happily enjoying her drink. 

The three enjoyed the day, meanwhile Lukas stood on the balcony, overlooking the festival from above. He sighed and a voice spoke from behind him. “Are you okay?”

“What are you doing here Arthur? You can have a day off once in a while, you know.”

“I came to check on you.”

“Why?”

“Well I noticed you weren’t at the festival, so I figured something was wrong.”

Lukas motioned for Arthur to come over, and he looked over the balcony. “What’s the matter?”

He pointed in a direction, where Katt was chatting with Michael, and Zara happily playing in the snow. There was a smile on Katt’s face as she talked, a cup of coffee in her hands.

“What do you think of him?”

“Michael? He seems nice.”

Lukas was quiet, and Arthur looked over at him. “Is there something I don’t know?”

“I just get a bad feeling about him.” He sighed, pulling out his phone. “I tried looking him up, but it’s like he doesn’t exist.”

“Maybe something happened in his past?”

“But what then?” 

Arthur shrugged, “It’s not my place to go snooping around. Is that what’s been bothering you?”

Lukas nodded, as he leaned on the railing. “Yeah, something just seems off with him.”

“Don’t worry about it, he seems fine to me.”

“I hope you’re right.”


	13. Iced Coffee

The day flew by and eventually began to wind down, night falling upon the ship as the Lumasphere continued to darken. Night soon passed and morning quickly came, bringing tension in the air. 

Luke turned over in bed and groaned, his phone chimed in continuon. He grabbed it off the floor and looked it over, then quickly got out of bed, getting ready for the day.

As he walked out of his room, he was greeted by Arthur, who had a concerned look on his face. “So what happened?” Luke sighed, straightening his jacket.

“We don’t know. It would seem people are rioting again.”

“The same ones from before?”

Arthur was quiet and Luke sighed, “What happened?”

“It would seem there’s about twenty to thirty people leading it. We asked them to meet at a garden nearby, rather than in the middle of town square.”

“Fantastic.”

The two made their way outside, where a small group sat, chatting amongst themselves. “And what’s this all about?”

They all looked over, and finally a voice spoke up. “We don’t want the Nevixo in power.”

“And why’s that?”

“They’re nothing but evil, and they bring disaster.”

“So who’d replace her then, without upsetting the balance?”

The crowd was quiet and Luke sighed to himself, “That’s what I thought.”

He propped himself up on the wall and sat down at the top, pulling out his tablet. “So let’s talk then. What exactly has she done wrong?”

“Well her father-”

“I didn’t ask about him, I asked about Katherine. What has she done so far to cause any of this?”

A hand raised up and Luke nodded. The man’s voice was harsh as he spoke, “She’s a demon, so that’s got to upset the balance, right?”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Last I checked, red eyes weren’t hereditary, at all possible.”

“And you think demons, is a logical answer?”

He shrugged, “There’s no other explanation.”

“Right, give me one good reason why she should be removed.”

“That Nevixo can’t be trusted. She’ll be the death of us all.” A woman shouted, and the crowd nodded in agreement. 

Luke sighed, and noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked up to find Katt on the balcony above, her eyes met his for a second, tears on her cheeks. Michael then walked up and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into a hug. As he walked away, he looked back at Luke, a wide grin on his face, something seemed off. 

There was a tap on Luke’s leg and he looked down to find Arthur looking at him worriedly. “You ok?”

“Yeah I’m fine.” He said, hopping down from the ledge, handing his tablet to Arthur. Luke looked out at the people, “Don’t think I’m done with you all. You have a day to stop all this nonsense or else I’ll have to handle things my way. Understood?”

Without another word Luke walked off, Arthur trailing behind. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine… Just give me a minute.”

He sat down on a bench and Arthur gently sat down next to him. Luke put his head in his hands, and Arthur sighed. “What’s wrong?”

“Katt was watching the whole time… She looked so upset, and I want to help but they won’t listen.”

“They will, just give them time.”

“I don’t have time! At this rate, they won’t listen to me either.”

Arthur put a hand on Luke’s shoulder. “People are scared of things they can’t control or change. They’re scared of the idea of what could happen, and will do what they think is best for them. You need to show them that you know what’s best for them, no matter what.”

“Yeah…” Luke sighed.

“Seeing Katherine upset really seems to bother you. May I ask why?”

“I don’t know…”

“Maybe you should talk to her?”

“As if she’d want to talk to me.” He sighed once more.

“You never know until you try.”

Meanwhile, Michael found himself pacing around the greenhouse. A man watched him walk back and forth, then sighed deeply. “What’s bothering you?”

“Many things Eri.”

“Is it about earlier?”

“It’s about everything! All I want is for Katt to be happy and Neptix is doing nothing about it.”

Eri sighed again, “It’s not like he’s watching it happen. He’s trying to stop it from what I’ve seen.”

“And it’s not working! At this rate, Katt will be back to her old ways after Eliza!”

“Then what do you suggest we do?”

“Someone needs to talk Luke to sense, make him see what’s actually going on.”

“I’ll do my best.”

The two parted ways, and Michael sighed as he plucked a flower off the bush in front of him. As he looked it over, it began to wilt right away, the beauty quickly fading.

Lukas sat in his office, his head in his hands. There was a light knock at the door and Arthur walked in, carrying a cup of iced coffee. He placed it down on the desk and Luke looked over at it, “You know I don’t like coffee.”

“It can be relaxing.”

“No thanks.” He said, pushing it away. “Is something wrong?”

“I think we need to have a chat.”

“About what exactly?”

Arthur sighed, “In my opinion, you’re leading the wrong way.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m just saying, it might not be a bad idea to remove Katherine from power.”

“What’s gotten into you?”

“I’m being logical. As captain, it’s best for you to do what the people want.”

Lukas looked over at him, “I’m not removing Katherine.”

“Then the people will riot and call for you to be removed.”

“Arthur seriously, what’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing. I just had a moment to think things over.”

“And you shouldn’t be turning on me, you should be helping!”

“Want a solution? Take yourself out of the equation, then everything will be fixed.”

Luke was silent for a moment and then he groaned, putting his head in his hands. “Get out.”

“But-”

“I’m done with this conversation! Get out now, or else you will be removed from your position!”

“I see. Have a good day Neptix.”

Arthur walked out, closing the door behind him. He smiled and the illusion quickly faded, to reveal Eri in his spot. “This should be fun.”


End file.
